


Wish I Could Pretend Like I Didn’t Need You

by lostinthesounds



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Bellarke, F/M, based off the señorita music video
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-05-20 22:19:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19385716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinthesounds/pseuds/lostinthesounds
Summary: When Clarke and her friends go out dancing during her summer vacation in Miami, she doesn’t expect to meet someone who turn her world upside down.She’s usually kept to herself in the past, not letting super attractive guys get under her skin,orunder her clothes.However, tonight was different.The live band had caught her attention from the minute she heard them start playing, and she catches the gaze of one of the members for the entire night.Did she mention that he plays guitar? He was ticking all of her boxes in terms of a one night fling, but she can’t get enough but then he turned out to be so perfect in her eyes that she can’t get him out of her head.





	Wish I Could Pretend Like I Didn’t Need You

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the music video “Señorita” by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello! I hope you enjoy this fic of lots of tension and attempted sexy dancing lol. (Its minor dancing, so don’t yell)

When Raven calls Clarke after work, it couldn’t have been at the worst possible time. Her shift at the diner, the most popular eating spot in the town they were staying at for a few weeks, had been filled with the most irritating customers and endless amounts of orders to give out. 

 

It also didn't help that her boss had held her shift for overtime, wanting her to give out the last of the smoothies and milkshakes that the late afternoon rush craved. It was now past seven, and she just wanted to get home and change into a bathing suit and find the nearest pool to just relax. But of course, with her friends dying for a good night out in the warm air of the evening, she couldn’t even do _that_. 

 

“You can’t fight me on this, Clarke.” Her friend said, and the blonde could already hear the smile growing on her face if that was possible. “I’m taking you out tonight to have fun, and there’s no debate.” 

 

“Raven,” Clarke closed her eyes and held back a groan, not wanting to argue with her best friend. She had just parked in the driveway of their shared apartment and the thought of a shower and cold water was calling her name. “I just got off of work and I really don’t wanna go out.” 

 

“It’ll be fun,” Raven says, “I wanna go dancing, and you love that type of stuff.” 

 

Clarke sighs knowing it was true, but Raven tries to persuade her some more. It sounded like she was trying to sort through a closet, as hangers were shifting left and right. 

 

“Where are you, Raven?” Clarke questions softly, already hating the fact that she had suspicions. 

 

“I’m at Harper’s,” She answers after a few seconds, and suddenly it all made sense. _She had planned this_. “She had a bigger closet and wanted to hang out, so I brought up the idea of a local party going on tonight and she said yes.” 

 

“So go with her, Rae” Clarke argued, but it was no use. Whenever her friends did something without her; they always felt guilty or like it wouldn’t be as fun with her not there. She already lost the fight. 

 

“I won’t hesitate to get Harper so she could persuade you, she’s too nice to be told no Clarke.” Raven threatened, but her tone was playful. 

 

“Sometimes I wonder why I’m friends with you,” Clarke decided to say, rubbing her face with her hands. 

 

Raven laughs, “You love me, Griffin.” 

 

“Unfortunately, that’s true.” 

 

“So you’re coming?” The brunette’s voice was soft, as she waited for an answer. 

 

Clarke figures she could manage a few hours at a club with her best friends without going insane or drop from exhaustion, so she finally agreed. 

 

“Give me thirty minutes,” She grabs her purse from the passenger seat, and turns off her car. “But you’re picking me up from the apartment, I’m not driving.” 

 

“That’s a small price I’m willing to pay for you to let loose and have some fun with me,” Raven agreed as well, and Clarke said her temporary goodbyes and hung up the phone. 

 

She pulls the skirt of her uniform down when she gets out of the car, as she tries not to stumble over herself when she runs to the front door. At least, she would get to take her time showering. 

 

* * *

 

Being a girl from New York, Clarke underestimated the heat of Miami in the summer. Sure, the city felt insufferable at times with the clutter of so many people trying to naviagate the intense warm weather—but the small town near the coast of Florida, had the intense heat with not nearly as many people. 

 

As she combed her fingers through her hair that was left in natural curls, only because she didn’t have time to straighten her hair after showering, she had swooped it all to one side. She took her drink back from Harper who had held it before, and tried to join the conversation as they stood in a strange triangle. 

 

“If you told me that the place would be standing room only,” Clarke gestured to the area of the venue, knowing that the main space was the makeshift dance floor in the middle. “I wouldn’t of worn heels.” 

 

“You look hot,” Harper chimes, making the other blonde blush when she realizes it was a compliment. “If you wore any other pair, it would’ve thrown the outfit off.” 

 

“It’s just a black dress, Harp.” 

 

“A dress that seems to hug every curve on your body,” Raven gets involved before taking a sip of her drink. “It looks like it was made for you.” 

 

Clarke shakes her head, not wanting to talk about herself anymore. She had brought this dress on the trip with her, knowing she was bound to go out sometime in the future so she only had few pieces that stood out from her casual wear. This dress, the black dress that clasped around her neck and was an inch away from showing off her cleavage. It ran mid-thigh, ending a fraction above her knees. 

 

She knew it looked _good_ , she just didn’t want other people to tell her because she’s always been a girl who hated being the center of attention. It didn’t mean that she hated her sense of style, as her hair was picked up halfway with a few pins and her heels—the topic of discussion apparently—were the kind that wrapped around her feet with a cross design. They had were the same color as her dress, black with a gold accent buckle for the strap on her ankle. 

 

Suddenly, the music had started to pick up after more people started to shuffle inside. She was hearing all kinds of songs; rhythmic, slow, and even latin and spanish music. Clarke smiled to herself when she saw a few couples start to dance in front of her, taking up space in the center of the room decorated with lights. 

 

After a few minutes of swaying back and forth to the songs that boomed from the speakers, Clarke froze when she started hearing the slight thump of drums being played and guitars strung with chords she couldn’t recognize, but only _feel_. 

 

“Is that a live band?” She asks, turning to Raven who’s looking for the source of sound too. 

 

The brunette gets on her tip toes, even with heels on, and grins when she finds the instruments in the corner. “They’re setting up over there, and _I’m_ about to go over there myself.” She points to where she located them. 

 

“Are they cute?,” Harper questions as she turns around to look for herself. 

 

“I wouldn’t of said I wanted to meet them if I didn’t,” Raven playfully replied as her cheeks started to turn red with a blush. “They’re _hot_ guys, Clarke.” 

 

Clarke shakes her head, not feeling interested in trying to seduce a man from doing his job—or talking to anyone else who isn’t Raven or Harper. She came here to spend time with her friends and not get hit on by guys, or girls. Which luckily; hasn’t happened yet. 

 

“You guys go ahead,” She ushers them off, taking note of where her friends set their drinks down on the bar next to where they stood. “Don’t get too crazy out there, but can you wait until the next song?” 

 

“Why?,” Raven asked, as she crunches a few pieces of hair that framed her face that weren’t as curly as she had liked them to be. 

 

“I like the song they’re playing,” She replies, and only laughs when Harper hit her on the shoulder lightly in amusement. “ _Hey_ , I just want to enjoy the music and you two would ruin it.” 

 

The other girls don’t go, taking their friends advice to listen to another song before trying to meet the band that was playing. Clarke felt her mouth tilt up into a smile, as Raven grabbed her drink and downed the entire thing in one gulp. She leans against the bar, and Clarke tries to keep Harper occupied as the song winds down.

 

Clarke could hear the drums and acoustic guitar the most, so she looks over to see who had been playing the chords so beautifully. 

 

It’s when she catches herself staring at the guitarist, who’s wearing a white t-shirt that clung to his body and suspenders that kept his black dress pants secured to his liking. His head was swaying to the song he was playing, back and forth like he was embracing the music through his soul—and when she ended up catching his gaze a few seconds later, she looks away. 

 

She couldn’t afford to get lost in the way his mess of black curls had fell on his forehead, or the brown in his eyes that sparkled when the bright light of the ornaments struck his face. 

 

Her heart was racing, and she focused on Harper again. 

 

“The song is almost finished,” She took a guess, hoping that if the band stayed occupied with people who actually wanted to confront them would give her time to get her thoughts in check. “Why don’t you go now?” 

 

Raven nodded, grabbing Harper’s hand to rush over to the front of the crowd of a few people had formed. Clarke watched as her friends had danced together, making sure to avert any other gaze that the guitarist would send her way. 

 

He didn’t look at her again, and for some reason, Clarke thought it was the best thing to happen to her today. She didn’t have time to pine over a total stranger, but she just couldn’t help but wonder why her _heart_ couldn’t get with the plan. 

 

So instead, she turns around to the soft playing of a guitar and orders another drink. 

* * *

 

When Raven and Harper return, their flushed faces and bright smiles had been a giveaway that they had a great time dancing with whoever they had been with. 

 

Harper is the first to reach for Clarke and wrap her arms around her in a questionable hug, and it made the blonde laugh. “What was that for? Are you thanking me for having a good time or am I missing something.” It didn’t stop her from returning the embrace, or stop Raven from tugging at Clarke’s dress to lean in and whisper in her ear. 

 

“The guy that was playing the guitar had asked for you,” She started to explain, and Clarke had immediately lost the soft grin on her face as it turned into a frown. The other guy had been looking at her when she was staring, and to top it off, he had looked _for_ her. 

 

Raven continued, “I saw him staring at you so I asked him why, and he seemed really into you, Clarke.” She pulled back to encourage her friend, “So why don’t you go dance with him?” 

 

“I don’t know, Raven.” Clarke sighed and bit her lip, “I don’t know _him_.” 

 

“That’s why you could go over there and talk to the guy, and introduce yourself.” 

 

Clarke rolls her eyes, crossing her arms anxiously as Harper pulls away from her to stand to the side to take Raven’s side of things, “It wouldn’t hurt, and his friends were nice to us.” 

 

Clarke suddenly remembered, “He didn’t dance with anyone else when you took his friends away. So, he doesn’t want to dance. It’s _simple_ —“

 

Raven argued, shaking her head back and forth in obvious disagreement. “He didn’t have the chance to dance with you, since _you_ didn’t come with us. I bet that’s the reason why.” 

 

It makes Clarke’s palms feel sweaty, the thought of being admired from a man who’s that attractive—who could have anyone in the palm of his hand yet play off his oblivion to that very fact. 

 

She doesn’t want to entice him, or give into his dangerous game. She knows guys like him, how they attract to the girls who don’t want to be seen or get pulled into their world. It’s probably what makes him so interested in _her_. 

 

Raven grabs her wrist suddenly, and it makes Clarke freeze. She must’ve seen it too, because there’s a man with the familiar head of messy black curls that seemed to get closer and closer to them, and Clarke feels her heart drop. If it was even possible, she felt like a magnet drawn to his slow pace towards her to where she cant look away, even when she should. 

 

“He’s coming to ask you to dance, isn’t he?” Harper asks, her whispering was aggressive just incase the guy turned up behind her. 

 

“ _Or_ , he’s just getting someone else a drink since we’re next to the bar.” Clarke wants to believe any other reason why he would be walking in her direction, but even she can’t believe it at this point. 

 

She tucks a piece of hair from her face behind her ear, a nervous habit she picked up when she was young, and forced herself to look away. 

 

“I’m sorry to intrude on the discussion ladies,” The voice is so close to her, that the person had to be right next to her or in front of Harper. She bites her tongue, afraid to ask or turn her head but the low voice kept talking. Clarke hoped that it wasn’t the guy that had her mind spinning in circles earlier, because she wouldn’t be able to handle any of whatever he had to offer to her. “But, is your friend willing to dance?”

 

”Dance with _you_?,”  Raven clarified sweetly, her hand moving from holding Clarke’s wrist to rest on the back of her spine. “I’m sure she would love to.” 

 

Clarke couldn’t handle the pressure anymore, letting the tension in her shoulders disappear as she turns her head slowly. _Damnit_. If the guitarist was attractive from afar, he left her speechless when he was a few feet in front of her. 

 

There’s a glint in his eyes when she looks at him, and she tries to hide the deep red color from rising in her cheeks. She couldn’t embarrass herself now, not when he was this close to her. 

 

“You’re talking to me?” Clarke questioned but holding her hand out nonetheless, just deciding to try and forget about the nerves that fluttered in the pit of her stomach. 

 

“You’re the one that I’ve been waiting to dance with all night,” His hand, it was much bigger than Clarke’s, wrapped around her wrist. She accepted his offer to dance, and there was nothing stopping him now. “So yeah princess, I’m only looking at you.” 

 

Clarke smiled, although she felt drunk off of the way he had looked at her then. It left her at a loss for words to reply, so she ducked her head and let herself get pulled onto the dance floor. She felt like a fool, letting the guy get to her like this but she can’t help it. Something about the guy, she didn’t know what, had felt like a thrill to explore. 

 

She gets caught off guard quickly, it’s during the part of a song where the drums start to kick in, and the guitarist surprises Clarke with twirling her arm above her head and spinning her into his chest. 

 

In an instant, she could smell his cologne  as her body collided with his. 

 

He takes a moment to breathe her in, neither of them bothering to move just yet. 

 

Clarke waits for him to lead her through the dance, her head turned to the side until she feels brave enough to look him in the eyes. 

 

She could feel him smile wide next to her left ear, his breathing starting to get heavy. _What the hell was he trying to do to her_ — “I feel like I should ask for your name, before anything happens.” 

 

Clarke feels too intoxicated for this conversation, when she’s entirely dizzy on him. 

 

“I’m Clarke,” She doesn’t get a chance to finish, as he spun her outward to face her again. He licks his lips before nodding his head, his hands grip her waist and uses the leverage to pull her back to the warmth of his body. She gasps lightly, “It’s nice to meet you.” 

 

“You’re beautiful, Clarke.” He complimented, a hand coming up to rake through his curls. “I’m Bellamy, and I can’t help but mention that I saw you staring at me earlier.” 

 

“I wasn’t looking at _you_ ,” She tried to argue, but it wasn’t her best effort since his hands started to guide her hips into dancing to the song that had begun to play. As if this sequence of events had been timed perfectly, a particular latin rhythmic song had begun to blast around her and she was _screwed_. She couldn’t handle the idea of dancing so close to Bellamy, not when her hormones were raging or when she was almost sure that his heart was beating as fast as her’s. 

 

She shakes her head at the thoughts that consumed her, wanting to focus on keeping Bellamy from touching her anywhere else. “I heard live music, and coming from a big city, you don’t hear it often.” 

 

“You’re not from here?” 

 

 

“Just staying for a few weeks,” She whispered in reply, feeling the urge to tease him to ease the rise of tension between them. “Don’t get your hopes up with dancing with me again, Bellamy.” 

 

 

“That’s why I have to make this count so I’ll remember it.” He paused, tightening the grip on her waist with one hand as he took a short breath while caressing her cheek with the other. “I want to remember _you_ , Clarke.” 

 

Clarke is breathless, like no air was filling her lungs. “Are you sure about that? I’m no one special.”

 

Bellamy chuckles, pulling her flush against his body—his hand slowly wrapping around her elbow to keep her steady—and he looks her straight in the eyes. A fire bright in his gaze, “You don’t feel that?” 

 

Before Clarke lets her mind wander to inappropriate places, she plays along and feels her entire body relax in his arms. 

 

“What, exactly?” (She really had to get her mind out of the gutter at this point.)

 

His brows raise, “I haven’t felt like this in a long time, possibly never in my life, but there’s an attraction between us and I don’t wanna let that go.” 

 

Clarke froze, taking a second to let his words sink in. Obviously, she knew that this man was gorgeous and she feels lucky to have gained his attention _but_ she was sure that he didn’t mean his words. This was a single dance, not meaning to flip her whole world upside down. 

 

It wasn't supposed to mean anything. 

 

But, why does she feel like it means so much more than she’s trying to convince herself otherwise? 

 

Clarke shakes her head in disagreement not willing to think anymore about the possibility of falling for a complete stranger, and steps back. She steps away from Bellamy, her hands extended out in warning to keep him away. 

 

“That’s crazy,” She says, in disbelief. “You just wanted me to dance with you, and then bring me back to your place. I know guys like you, Bellamy. _Don’t_ even tell me otherwise—“ she paused, stepping further and further away. 

 

Over the loud music, Bellamy tries his best to get through to her. His hands, not knowing that to do, run through his curls as he looks at her with a confused expression on his face. 

 

“So, you think I’m like _most_ guys?,” He flinched, “That I’ll just prey on you for the entire night and feel _accomplished_ when I have sex with you? Is that it?” 

 

Clarke cringed at the thought, ignoring the guilt that settles in her stomach when he can’t even look at her. 

 

“You’re one of the most attractive guys here, Bellamy.” She points out to him, as if it would mean anything now. “You could get anyone in this room to go home with you, you could have anyone in the palm of your hand.” Clarke emphasized with her hands, looking around the room. “I’ve had my fair share of one night stands, and I don’t need one as complicated as you.” 

 

Bellamy bites his tongue, robbed from the chance to reply when Clarke mumbles an apology and tries to navigate her way through the crowd of people—and she’s running _away_. 

 

His heart is still pounding in his chest and it feels like it’s going to explode if he thinks about the blonde any longer, and it’s when he realizes that he’s _never_ felt like this before. 

 

So he does what his head is telling him not to do, and he goes to run after Clarke. 

 

If she really thinks he’s complicated, then he would show her what it truly meant. 

* * *

 

 

“Clarke!,” He called after her, his chest caving heavily when he finally spots her head of blonde waves. 

 

She froze in place at the sound of her name being called, and Bellamy takes that as his window of opportunity and starts to jog over to her. 

 

They were at the edge of a parking lot and he was staring at her, waiting to be acknowledged. 

 

“So you’re one of those guys too?” She calls over her shoulder. 

 

Bellamy stops in his tracks, chest caving with harsh breaths. “I never wanted to scare you off, just so you know.” 

 

The warm air of the night gave them both a reason to stay away, as Clarke leans on her hip. 

 

She frowns, “That’s what they all say.” 

 

Bellamy steps forward, wanting to get closer to her but wanting to respect her boundaries. There was just something about this girl that he couldn’t shake off, he felt so different—light on his feet and a fluttering heart when he locked eyes with her blue ones—and he didn’t want to let her go. 

 

He spoke softly, with a serious tone. “I’m not a horrible person, you have to believe me that I would never lead you on with only one intention.” It was a implication, but her cheeks flushed pink from a few feet away. 

 

Clarke sighs to try and cover up, looking over his shoulder to realize that the party was still in full force and most likely, Raven or Harper wouldn’t notice her gone _or_ want to leave if they spoke to Bellamy’s friends some more. She didn’t want to be a pawn, or a rebound, and only be remembered as a one night stand. It was alright when she was younger and fresh out of high school, when she knew that relationships wouldn’t last. But now she’s older and the idea of falling in love was terrifying because there’s so many people in the world that she hasn’t met, and somehow a heart can break so much easier. 

 

And hurt so much more. 

 

She took one long look at Bellamy, the guitarist from a live band that captured her attention—with his white t-shirt and dress slacks that complimented his best features perfectly—and she has no idea why she feels so _much_. Her heart is racing, the hair on the back of her neck is sticking, and even when he’s right in front of her, he hasn’t left her mind. 

 

She’s hooked. _On him_. 

 

It was an intense feeling, for someone to tell her that she’s worth a good time and could feel sparks between them like fireworks because she’s never had that. 

 

She starts to wonder if Bellamy was her _something_ she had been wanting, or waiting for her entire summer vacation. 

 

A love story that she would remember forever, a passion filled and memorable summer with a person who would feel the exact same. _What if_?

 

Clarke can’t believe how irrational she was being, it was a fool’s game she was playing in her head. It wasn’t gonna happen, she can’t have someone like Bellamy fall for her. 

 

She shakes her head after a few minutes of silent debates of what to do, and she sticks to her gut. To what her head had been screaming the entire time, it was _stupid_ to let him so close. As she walks past him, wanting to find a way back to Raven and Harper who could possibly be looking for her—she keeps her gaze down to the floor to avoid contact. 

 

The hum of the music can be heard from outside, and Clarke thinks back to Bellamy’s hands on her waist and how he would guide her through the dance like he knew exactly how to get her going. It was easy, too easy, to enjoy the weight of his hands settling on her hips as they swayed side to side. 

 

Although, she didn’t get so far. 

 

“Give me a shot,” Bellamy says and suddenly Clarke is getting pulled by him and she’s against his chest. He was gentle, and she was close to caving in once she looked into his eyes. He spoke softer than ever before, almost like he was breathing into his words. “I like being with you, and I don’t want this night to end just yet.” 

 

“Why can’t you find somebody else?” 

 

“If you don’t want to dance with me, that’s fine.” He said, and she wants to look away because of the embarrassment she feels. With his fingers wrapped gently around her wrists, Clarke was sure he could feel her pulse out of control in her body. It was a surprise when Bellamy tilts her chin up when he speaks, and her mouth parts in surprise. 

 

Clarke doesn’t miss it when his eyes flicker to her lips, but she doesn’t interrupt him when he adds on, “But I would rather talk to you then walk away.” 

 

Her brows furrowed, her heart is growing in appreciation for his effort to keep her around. It felt like they were the only two people standing on the street, on the block, or in the world. Clarke knows what she wants, and for right now, she doesn’t want to leave Bellamy either. He was comfortable, and hearing him say those words was enough for her to stop avoiding how she truly felt about him too. He was a nice guy, and she’s couldn’t ignore those butterflies in her stomach that wanted to turn into something more. 

 

Why would she deny herself a good time with someone who wants to get to know her? He wasn’t pushing her around like a teenage boy, obviously keeping to himself and respecting her, and he was _different_. Clarke most likely won’t find another guy who makes her feel this way, so why not cherish him in this moment. If it was wrong, she didn’t want to be right. 

 

It wouldn’t be hard to leave him after tonight, or in two months when she has to go back home—because Bellamy would be temporary. A love like his would be special, but not long lasting. Clarke would make sure of it. 

 

“Can we try this again?,” He asked and his breath of lingering mint had tickled her nose. “I wanna get to know you if that’s alright.” 

 

She nods this time, confident in her thoughts and she isn’t feeling overwhelmed like before. Bellamy’s eyes light up and it makes her warm and giddy inside but she tries not to make it show. 

 

It wouldn’t be a big deal. 

 

It’s not like he _actually_ feels anything spontaneous with her. 

 

She freezes when a hand is placed on her hip, squeezing to give her comfort.

 

Clarke was okay, she already told herself that she won’t get too attached because she _wouldn’t_ let it happen. To add onto her certainty of how well she knew her limits, she wrapped an arm around his neck and listen closely to the way his breath hitched. She wants to ignore how perfect of a fit she had around his shoulders, but she embraced it by pressing against his chest. 

 

“I would love to talk,” Clarke’s voice was low, almost seductive in the way she had been so entranced by Bellamy’s eyes getting wide and going dark. “But after we dance, and you don’t move your hands from my waist.” She teased lightly. 

 

It makes him laugh, and she could feel her heart jump in her chest as his smile turns into a grin and his hand finds a spot in the crook of her neck. His thumb is caressing her warm skin, and he can’t help but play along. “I’ll count my chances.” 

 

He takes her hand, interlocking their fingers. 

 

Clarke doesn’t get caught up on the thought of his hands roaming along her body, or how nice it would feel for the tips of his fingers to trail along her outline—she takes a deep breath. 

 

“Talk to me, Clarke.” His voice is rough and low, like he’s whispering to her. “Will you dance with me?” 

 

 _This isn’t going to end well_. 

 

“Let’s go back in,” She says, tugging his hand along and leading them back into the venue. 

 

She feels disoriented, on a high of lust and determination to stay true to her plan of going with the flow of things. 

 

It won’t happen, she realizes. 

 

Not when she wants to kiss him senseless until her knees give out. She wants _more_ , and for the first time in her life, she doesn’t want to run. She wants to be around Bellamy, wants to touch him. The attraction she feels is unlike no other, and if she runs, Clarke would be running to _him_. It’s what makes her grip his hand tighter as she leads him into the dance floor, and what makes her cheeks tense up because she can’t stop smiling. 

 

When his face is nuzzled into her neck much later into the night, his lips hot against her skin to make up for the ninety degree weather outside their hotel room—it makes her hope that this love lasts forever and not just for the summer in this small town. 


End file.
